Beautiful Lies
by Nimue Redfern
Summary: When his soulmate runs away Sheridan is determined to find Rose and bring her back to him. He doesn’t expect to find himself dealing with Rose’s new love, and their baby daughter. Rose is left with a terrible choice – her soulmate, or her family.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Beautiful Lies  
  
Author: Nimue Redfern  
  
Email: bloodoftin@yahoo.co.uk   
  
Spoilers: General Night World  
  
Rating: 15 +  
  
Disclaimers: The Night World, its characters and concepts all belong to LJS. Unrecognised storylines and characters belong to me.  
  
Summary: When his soulmate runs away Sheridan is determined to find Rose and bring her back to him. He doesn't expect to find himself dealing with Rose's new love, and their baby daughter. Rose is left with a terrible choice - her soulmate, or her family.   
  
Author's note: Feedback greatly appreciated.  
  
Part 1  
  
^You can run, Rose, but you can't hide^ Sheridan thought, staring out the darkened window.  
  
Not a highly original thought, he was well aware of that. Rose should have known better.  
  
"It would have been easier if you could just /forget/ her. There must be a reason she ran away."   
  
The petulant whine of Monica, Rose's former best friend was not something Sheridan wanted to hear. The annoying witch was really starting to get on his nerves. She'd been hanging around him a lot lately. At first their interests had been mutual - find Rose and bring the deserting bitch back where she belonged.  
  
Lately, Monica had been much more friendly. His friend Marius thought he was insane. With her ample chest, long legs and lustrous blonde hair, Monica was a great catch for any guy.  
  
As far as Sheridan was concerned, Monica could rot in hell. His only love was Rose. She was his /soulmate/. Soulmates were meant to be together, forever.  
  
"I'll never forget Rose," he said bluntly, turning to glare at Monica, his sapphire eyes flaring. He tucked a strand of loose curly red hair behind his ear, turning to sit down at his desk. Deliberately ignoring her, he turned on his laptop.   
  
In the reflection of the computer screen he watched as Monica shook her head, sliding off his bed. At least she was smart enough to know when she was defeated. "Why do you think she left you, Sheridan?"  
  
Sheridan turned his back on her, hands gripping the edge of the desk below the window. It was a question he didn't particularly want to answer.  
  
The discovery of his soulmate connection with Rose had been the best thing that had ever happened to him. He had never imagined such a wonderful thing could happen to him.  
  
Why had Rose felt so differently?  
  
"Go away," Sheridan growled through gritted teeth. He would find his lost soulmate. If he had to go through heaven and hell, he would find Rose, and make her his.   
  
* * *  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
So far everything is going according to plan. Okay, truth be told, I didn't actually have any sort of plan, I just up and left and hoped everything would work out for the best.  
  
Naïve of me, perhaps, but I had to leave Logan and Gloria. That's probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I miss them so much it hurts like a physical pain that's like burning coals in my chest where my heart should be.  
  
Oh...I'm crying again, I'm getting my words all wet. I should have been excited to get a soulmate, and it wasn't like Sheridan is all that horrible, he's good looking and all, and another Night Person...but I already had Logan and he was everything I had always wanted in a boyfriend.  
  
When you have a boyfriend and then discover a soulmate connection, what are you supposed to do? I know how much I hurt everyone, but I didn't know what to do.  
  
I'm only eighteen, I haven't even graduated yet, but I had a little family of my own...then this soulmate was thrown in and I panicked.  
  
Could anyone accept that I had a human boyfriend and a half-breed daughter, that I had run to protect them more than to escape from the unwanted soulmate?  
  
I was praying for it.  
  
* * * 


	2. Part 2

Author's Notes: Thanks to Thea101, Dream_Wind and Rhiannon for your reviews. Much appreciated :)  
  
Part 2  
  
Misty Catrall woke determined to have a good day. Since she had arrived in Silverlake her life had gone from bad to worse. A single eighteen year old living along with no parents or guardians was hard enough to explain. Especially one who seemed to be independently wealthy as well.  
  
Misty had tired hiding in the shadows and as just about managing. As she got up and went around her daily routine of washing and dressing for school she realised how much she missed having friends. She missed having people to talk to, to hang round with. She missed having a boyfriend to love her.  
  
~Well it's your own fault~, she thought, brushing her long blonde hair. Instead of dressing in black as she usually did, she dressed in white leather pants and a bright green halter-neck top, even adding a bit of makeup.  
  
Feeling bright and cheerful she picked up her book bag and walked out of the boarding house where she was renting a room, and headed for school.  
  
A chevy full of attractive boys honked at her as she got closer to the school building. She recognised some of the faces from the football team.   
  
Misty's memories of her time as a cheerleader came back to her, bringing a smile to her face. How she had loved the popularity, being admired, adored, watched.   
  
~I could have that again~ she thought fleetingly as she made her way to her locker. ~And being in public and watched with no one finding out who you /really/ are?~ her inner voice pointed out harshly.  
  
Misty sighed, pushing the voice away, upset as she knew it was absolutely right. She couldn't be a cheerleader again, not if she was in this town to hide.  
  
"If you know what's good for you, stay away from Locklyn Redfern," a stunning red-haired girl sad coldly, facing Misty almost threateningly close when she turned from her locker.  
  
Misty eyed the girl in confusion. The beautiful redhead had a small group of other pretty girls gathered behind her, all of them looking daggers at Misty.   
  
"Who?" Misty didn't understand.  
  
"Stay away from him, or you'll wish you'd never been born." The redhead smiled nastily, and she and her clique walked off.  
  
Misty stared at them in disbelief, trying to work out what had just happened. She'd never heard of anything so stupidly petty before!  
  
"It's Misty, isn't it?"  
  
Misty turned to the girl who had spoken, opening the locker next to hers. She was small with glossy brown hair, just brushing her shoulders. She wasn't anywhere near as pretty as the redhead and her friends, but her tone was much friendlier.  
  
Misty nodded. "Yeah, who are you?"  
  
"Aislinn Cross," she answered. "Locklyn Redfern was in the Chevy of guys who honked at you before."  
  
"Oh. Then who the hell was that bitch?"  
  
"His girlfriend Emerald Weald. She's not exactly the nicest person in the world."  
  
Misty's laugh was dry. "No, really?" she said sarcastically.  
  
Aislinn smiled. "Most of the time she's all talk." Aislinn closed her locker and walked away.  
  
Misty sighed. Redferns and Wealds. She could have known there'd be Night People here. It had been just too much t o hope that she could have gone to a quiet town and not had to deal with the Night World. No such luck. She'd already pissed off a witch.   
  
Opening her locker again she took out what she needed for that morning, after closing it she turned to find herself facing a third girl. "Now what?" she snapped, annoyed.  
  
This girl was tall and blonde, so gorgeous she could have been an international model or movie star. Her features were exquisite, her sapphire eyes bright as gems. Her figure was to die for, wrapped in a black silk dress that showed off all her curves.   
  
"I know who you are."  
  
Misty stared at her, dumbstruck. Before she could think of anything to say, the girl was gone.  
  
* * * 


	3. Part 3

Part 3  
  
"I don't know if I can do this," Charina moaned, leaning back in the car seat.  
  
Her friend Kiki sat in the drivers' seat, tapping her nails on the steering wheel. "I don't know how he can be so blind. He must have known on some level."  
  
Charina shrugged. She knew her younger brother better than Kiki. She knew how much Logan had loved Rose, and their baby Gloria. Gloria shouldn't even exist, but somehow she did.  
  
"Rose has been gone over a week," Kiki said, turning off the car's engine. She shook her head sadly, raven curls bouncing lightly on her shoulders. "I guess I still can't believe she up and left."  
  
Charina nodded in agreement, tugging nervously on her honey-blonde braid. It was dangerous enough for a lamia like Rose to love a human like Logan. Since they were both Daybreakers that had never bothered either of them. Rose had been thrilled to become pregnant. Now eight months after the baby had been born she'd run? It made no sense.  
  
Logan had been in complete denial, he was convinced Rose would be coming back.  
  
"Have we got *any* leads on her?" Kiki asked.  
  
"No," Charina answered with a sigh. "We're looking. But so far we're at dead ends."  
  
She didn't want to go into the apartment building they were sat outside. She didn't want to tell her favourite brother that his fiancé had skipped town. He'd be devastated.  
  
"Somebody has to get him to listen." Kiki got out the door and closed the door behind her.   
  
Charina followed. Delivering bad news was not something she was good at. Her face was too emotional, she just couldn't hide how she felt. She was immensely glad this wasn't something she had to do on a daily basis.  
  
She spent most of her time working as a research agent for Circle Daybreak, translating runes and old scrolls, looking into ancient spells, things like that. Missing persons were totally out of her league. Since Logan was her brother she had insisted on taking this job. With a half breed baby, Circle Daybreak had been paying close attention to Logan and Rose.  
  
Charina had a key to the apartment and let herself and Kiki in. Logan lay on the couch, a comedy show was on the TV. Charina's nose wrinkled with distaste as she recognised *Married* *with* *Children*.  
  
"You're the last person I would have expected to find this crap funny," Kiki commented.  
  
Logan looked up, yawning. "I'm not watching it, I'm just flipping channels." He deliberately picked up the remote and switched to the next channel up to prove his point, which was showing an old cowboy movie. "The baby's just gone to sleep."  
  
"Any word from Rose?" Charina asked. She could still hold out the faint hope that maybe Rose had gotten in contact and they were wasting their time with the search. Deep in her heart she knew that wasn't going to happen, but couldn't bring herself to actually say it.  
  
Logan sighed. "No."  
  
"We can't find her," Charina said staring at the coffee table rather than look into Logan's azure eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's skipped town. We can't find her anywhere. She's cleared out her bank accounts."  
  
Charina brought her chin up. Logan just stared at her blankly. "I don't understand."  
  
"Neither do we," Kiki said, moving to his side and patting his arm sympathetically.   
  
Charina stared at her in disbelief, at the seductive smile curving Kiki's rosebud lips. Her lashes were lowered, her head tilted to one side, her raven hair was spilling gracefully over one bare shoulder. Her tight fitting snake-skin print dress pushed her chest up and out and showed off long slender legs.  
  
Was the only reason Kiki had come with her so she could *seduce* Logan? Jump in and get his attention while he was vulnerable? ~Some friend~ Charina thought angrily.  
  
"She wouldn't do that!" Logan, to his credit, pushed Kiki aside. He had some sense at least. Kiki refused to give up, still trying to get hold of Logan's hand as he paced around angrily. "Why would Rose leave? She wouldn't just *go*. She was *taken*! Taken!"  
  
Charina hadn't thought of that possibility. Could Rose have really been kidnapped? "I guess that could have happened."  
  
"You guess," Logan said sourly, arms folding across his thin chest. "Then what did you come over here for?"  
  
"To inform you, so you can help us look for her," Kiki said smoothly, still smiling.  
  
Logan shook his head, somewhere between anger and disbelief.  
  
"Just leave me alone." Logan turned and stalked off.  
  
"What the *hell* is wrong with you?" Charina snapped furiously.  
  
"Well he's going to need comfort while Rose is gone. She was the loser who ran out on him." Tossing her hair over her shoulders Kiki walked out the apartment after Logan.  
  
Charina sighed. From somewhere in the apartment the baby started to cry. What a disaster.  
  
* * * 


	4. Part 4

Part 4  
  
Misty stared after the blonde girl in disbelief. How could *anyone* - especially a walking Malibu Barbie knew who she was? She had been so careful! So careful...  
  
The hallways were emptying. Tossing her hair over er shoulders she gathered her confidence and walked of to class. She had come this far and no walking Barbie doll was going to scare her off.  
  
She wouldn't have been surprised if they were just words to scare her. Misty was determined to get through the day. It would be so much easier if she had had at least *one* person to talk to.  
  
All her good feelings that morning about making it in her new life were dwindling rapidly. Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe she should just say the hell with this town.  
  
Misty trudged from class to class that morning, feeling like she was walking into her own death each time. The blonde girl was in two of her classes, and each time she caught Misty looking her way, she smirked and waved.  
  
Misty frowned and turned to the brunette in the seat next to her. "Who's she?" she asked.  
  
"Imogene Starlight," the girl told her. "Her parents own over half the important businesses around here."  
  
Misty nodded. "Thanks." Her French wasn't all that good, but roughly translated she was sure that name meant something like Starlight or Star-shine. It didn't sound like a familiar Night World name. She was leaning towards a witch clan.  
  
Before, she could have just picked up the phone and called her friends in the Circle Daybreak research department and asked. Leg work was just not her thing. But as Misty Catrall, she couldn't do that. She had o Night World friends with connections.  
  
At lunch she walked through the cafeteria line, piling her plate with junk food and finding an empty table at the back of the room. She felt a stab of envy watching Emerald and her friends waltz in, hating the way the humans cleared out the way, seeming to react to clan of snotty girls like they were royalty.  
  
"Hey, you're in our seats." Misty looked up to see two girls and a guy were approaching her table.  
  
"I don't see your names written here," Misty said sourly, standing her ground. She had had enough of being stepped on for one day.  
  
One of the girls, dressed in a black leather halter neck and black leather pants, shoulder length purple hair to complete her Goth look, just looked at her and laughed. "She's got spunk that's more than I can say for most."  
  
"Oh for god's sake violet, Violet, get over yourself," the boy shook her head. He wasn't that big for a guy, small, with a friendly smile, curly dark hair and nice blue eyes. Just ordinary. "She's kind of territorial," he said. Flashing that smile again, he at down opposite Misty.  
  
Territoriality immediately made Misty think that Violet might be a werewolf, who were notorious for that sort of thing, though Violet wasn't a werewolf name she'd have thought of.  
  
"Oh shut it, Mayon," Violet snorted, sitting down. "If she's down she's going to have to share."  
  
"I didn't even know you knew what that word meant," the other girl, a small blonde snorted.  
  
"Ha fucking ha," Violet snorted.   
  
  
  
The blonde smiled. "Hi, I'm Cindy."  
  
"Misty."  
  
Violet laughed. "You're kidding, right?"  
  
"Are you with that so-called tough-bitch attitude crap?" Misty shot back.  
  
Violet smirked. "Touché."  
  
"Why move *here* of all places?" Cindy asked.  
  
Misty's cheerfulness returned as the friendly chatter continued. Maybe there was hope for her here after all. She didn't get a sense of evil from any of them, so she guessed they might be Daybreakers.  
  
Part of her was trying to warn her teaming up with new Daybreakers was, of course, dangerous. But Misty couldn't become a Night World agent, she just had no clue how to be - evil enough. Sure, she could be a little snappish and occasionally her attempts at sarcasm came off drier than she thought, but not evil.  
  
~Why does something always have to get in the way?~ she thought.  
  
"I wouldn't get too comfortable is I were you." She was accosted by Imogene as she made her way out the cafeteria as lunch ended.  
  
Misty sighed with irritation. "What is your *problem*?" she snapped.  
  
Imogene smiled strangely. "You'd love to know that, wouldn't you?"   
  
Misty stared at her, forcing herself to keep her temper. She felt like punching this bitch. "I don't get it," she said.  
  
"You wouldn't. But you will." And again, she walked off.  
  
Misty looked around the cafeteria. Everywhere she looked people were avoiding looking back at her. What the hell was going on around here?  
  
* * * 


	5. Part 5

Part 5  
  
"Maybe I should have just killed the bitch," Monica grumbled as she her friend fellow lamia Paige left their local gym. Monica's attempts at flirting with Sheridan weren't getting anywhere. The annoyingly attractive jerk was utterly obsessed with Rose. *Ob*sessed. Monica wasn't used to guys jerking her around. Rich, beautiful and powerful, who could want more?  
  
"What good would killing Rose do? He'd be bribing a Midnight witch to find forbidden spells to bring her back from the dead," Paige pointed out as she braided her long glossy dark hair.  
  
Monica grunted, not wanting to admit out loud that Paige was probably right. "How can he be so obsessed with a girl who ran off and left him?" she complained.  
  
Paige just laughed. "Dear kettle," she snorted. "Memo from Monica. You're black."  
  
"Ha, ha," Monica snapped. "I am *not* obsessed. Sheridan and I would make the *perfect* match."  
  
"He's not interested." Paige found her car keys and pushed a button. The lights on her soft topped red Mercedes flashed twice and she opened the driver's side door.  
  
Monica scowled. "He will be when he founds out I know where she is."  
  
Paige stared at her. "*How*?"  
  
"My cousin Imogene phoned the other night with some *very* interesting information," Monica answered smugly.  
  
"Like what?" Paige started the car.  
  
"That's for me to know. And what I decide to use it for will have Sheridan eating out of the palm of my hand."  
  
Paige's eyes rolled. "And here come the clichés."  
  
Monica ignored the comment. She didn't think there was anything wrong with using a few old favourite clichés when it fit the moment.   
  
Paige dropped her off outside her family's mansion. In her room Monica pondered on whether or not she should toy with Sheridan just yet. She needed to be sure Rose was really out of the picture, and then he would be at her complete disposal. Then she could really begin to have fun with him. ~Teach him for rejecting me~ she thought smugly. She dialled another number instead.   
  
"This had better be important," a petulant voice whined.  
  
"It is Elle," Monica answered impatiently. "I need a little favour."  
  
* * *  
  
Paige tapped her fingers impatiently. It was bad enough she had to work with that snooty cow Monica Redfern, now she had information - and Circle Daybreak were *not* answering her phone call.  
  
"Come *on*," she muttered.  
  
Monica would never give up the information willingly. The bitch had an annoying habit for stretching that type of thing as far as it would go.  
  
"She needs *staking*," her roommate witch Jean Weald commented, taking a saucepan off the kitchen cooker and pouring pasta onto two plates set out on the kitchen table. "I've been saying that for years."  
  
Paige smiled as she turned the TV back on. "I know, and I've been agreeing. But unfortunately Monica's information in this case could actually turn out to be useful." She sighed with irritation as she watched Jean preparing the rest of the meal.  
  
"Have you spoken to anyone else?" Jean asked as she sat down.  
  
Paige shook her head. "I know Charina's also trying to help despite the fact she doesn't have a clue what she's doing. She already told her brother, who's having a hissy fit."  
  
"Can't really blame him for that. His soulmate's run off and abandoned him and their baby."  
  
Paige nodded. She was as baffled as everyone else was as why a nice girl like Rose would take off and disappear. There had to be a reason. It was something to be with Sheridan Blackthorn, but Paige wasn't exactly sure what he had to do it. Whatever it was, it had Monica hell-bent on getting revenge against Rose, who at one point had been Monica's supposed best friend. Yet another confusing thing Paige hadn't figured out yet. "Okay, point made. I don't know what this info Monica has is, or even if it's real. Monica's not above exaggerating." She sighed again. "This is where I hate being a spy."  
  
Jean smiled, pushing her blonde hair out her green eyes. "You volunteered to be a spy."  
  
Paige grunted. "I didn't expect Monica Redfern."  
  
They lapsed into silence as they ate, glancing occasionally at the friendly babble of a comedy show on the TV. Paige couldn't understand girls like Monica with beauty. Too much beauty might be the reason Monica acted the way she did. She was spoiled rotten, and usually got any guy she wanted, then went postal and homicidal when she didn't get her own way.  
  
Paige would have *killed* for a body like Monica's. Small and delicate with flyaway light brown hair and unremarkable blue eyes Paige was just your average girl. Sometimes it had its advantages, particularly for her spy work. When it came to ordinary things like parties and school dances, Paige was never the first choice.  
  
Monica needed to be made an example of. Paige's belief in Daybreak's principles were shaken when it came to her. Monica had been a fool when she'd bragged about knowing where Rose was. Somewhere Paige would find herself a loop hole that would let her get rid of Monica for good.  
  
* * * 


	6. Part 6

Part 6  
  
She was up to something, Sheridan was certain of it. Monica wasn't one for giving up, no matter how many times he insulted her and told her to leave him the hell alone.  
  
"Are you ever going to stop moping? It's getting really lame," his friend Max complained as Sheridan tossed books carelessly into his locker.  
  
Sheridan's mood hadn't improved since Rose had done her vanishing act. His efforts to find her were going nowhere, and Monica's constant interruptions weren't helping."  
  
"If your soulmate had gone AWOL then you'd be pretty pissed off too," he grumbled, slamming the locker shut.  
  
Max's hazel eyes rolled in disgust. "Don't tell me you're going all sappy like those Daybreak losers."   
  
Sheridan had had to hear this from Max and the rest of his so-called friends all week. None of them had experienced the soulmate connection, they moved from one girl to the next using her until they were bored. Up until Rose had come along, Sheridan had been the same. Long-term relationships had never appealed top him. A firm Night Worlder he had no interest in romantic crap like the soulmate principle.   
  
Of course, the idiot who said that was usually struck by the connection. Fate had had it in for him - and had given him Rose He had known Rose was a Daybreaker, he had barely paid her any attention before, wouldn't have even given her the time of day had she asked. Until the soulmate connection.  
  
He had expected her to freak, he hadn't exactly been overwhelmed with joy. Thinking about it afterwards - the experience would be something new - and there was no written rule that everyone who experienced a soulmate connection had to go waltzing off to Circle Daybreak. Rose could be converted to *his* way of thinking.  
  
Only the next morning Rose had been gone.  
  
"You've got Monica Redfern interested in you, she's a total babe," Max was going on.  
  
Sheridan snorted in contempt. "Been there, screwed that. You want her, she's all yours."  
  
"Whatever. You need to get your act together, pal. You're becoming a real asshole." Max walked off without waiting for him.  
  
"What if I told you I had a lead?"  
  
Sheridan turned at the seductive deep female voice speaking softly into his ear. He frowned at the stunning dark-skinned girl who stood at the locker beside him, twirling a lock of her curly raven hair around her finger. Dressed in a revealing tight-fitting hot pink halter-neck top and black jeans, she looked fabulous and hard to resist. Sheridan, hover, knew better.  
  
The girl was Raquelle Weald, a friend of Monica's a half-breed of werewolf and witch.   
  
"I'd say there had to be some sort of catch," he said flatly, uninterest showing on his features. Monica was renowned amongst the Night People to her scheming ways to get what she wanted. It was a pretty safe bet she chose friends of the same mind.  
  
What Sheridan couldn't understand was why Rose had been Monica's best friend. They were both so totally different.  
  
"You'd have to talk to Monica about that."  
  
Sheridan snorted in disgust. "You can tell Monica to shove her lead up her ass. I'll find Rose myself."  
  
Raquelle stared at him, the seductive smile faltering. "You're crazy. You'll never find the stupid bitch alive." She turned and stalked off.  
  
The bell rang just then, students began gathering in numbers on the way to their first class of the afternoon. He could see Raquelle standing out clearly amongst the ordinary students. With her enhanced Night World beauty she wasn't hard to miss, but there were too many people around her to him to get to her quickly.  
  
~Damn you Monica~ he thought with loathing. Raquelle's words 'You'll never find her alive' had stayed in his mind. No doubt the use of the world 'alive' was just what would grab his attention where Rose was concerned.  
  
*Was* Rose alive? Did Monica really know something or was she just fucking with his head? If that was her plan, he thought as he stomped off to class, then she was doing a damn good job.  
  
* * * 


	7. Part 7

Part 7  
  
It was probably going to be a bad idea. Misty was tired of being trapped in her own thoughts. She had lost track of the amount of time she had spent pacing around her living room. Whoever this Imogene bitch was - whatever it was she had against her - trusting to think what it could be and deal with it on her own was harder than she had ever thought.  
  
Misty groaned, dropping on the couch, burying her face in her hands. No one to talk to...she hated this. "What am I going to do?" she muttered to herself. There had been an idea playing in her head for the last to hours or so. Misty wasn't too sure about asking the Daybreakers for help. Helping people was Daybreak's thing.  
  
And worse, there was the possibility of her painful, shameful secret coming out. ~Or you could always get over yourself, go home and deal with responsibilities,~ her inner voice reminded her.   
  
Misty shook her head. She had run to avoid just that. Now it looked like if she wanted some help dealing with her past looking like something she was going to have to deal with whether she wanted to or not. She couldn't run forever.   
  
The only Daybreaker she felt remotely like trusting was Cindy. Violet with her cooler-than-thou attitude spelled problems of her own and trouble. As for Mayon - the guy seemed nice enough but male problems were a large part of the reason Misty had run to start a new life in the first place. She couldn't risk getting involved with anyone else.   
  
As for this Imogene bitch...she had no idea who the girl was or what she could *possibly* have done to her. How could that girl know who she was. ~Get a grip~ she thought. She found Cindy's number. She had *guessed* they were Daybreakers, but could be wrong. She was going to have to take the risk. She picked up the phone and called the number.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why am I agreeing to this again?"  
  
Monica looked at the movie-star beauty in front of her. Her cousin Elle Redfern, dressed in an expensive black Prada skirt and tight-fitting white short sleeved top, with mounds of strawberry-blonde hair falling around her slender shoulders.   
  
A girl who had an entire room in her mansion just for her designer shoes was the most unlikely assassin in the world. She played the dumb fashion obsessed bimbo well, striking when her victims least expected it. Or at least that was what Monica had heard.   
  
Now, as she looked at Elle, sat across from her in the fancy restaurant they had met in, she was starting to wonder if this was going to be a huge mistake. After all, what kind of assassin had more pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes than weapons?  
  
"You dragged me down here. Want to tell me about what all this is about before I get bored?" Elle asked, inspecting her manicure.  
  
"Rose Darkthorne," Monica answered. "A little half breed bitch. I need her out the picture."  
  
"I have a facial and a massage booked for this afternoon," Elle said, sitting back in her chair.  
  
Monica grit her teeth. She was going to wind up killing the moron who had recommended Elle to her at this rate. "I'll make it worth your while," she said. "Imogene's got the important detail. Contact her."  
  
Elle looked at her doubtfully. "But I can't *stand* Imogene!" she whined petulantly.  
  
Monica had to force herself not to scream. /You're supposed to be an assassin, you brainless waste of space!/ she hissed telepathically. /I heard one of the best. But from what I see, fluff has more brains than you do!/  
  
Elle smiled. /The act really works, huh?/  
  
"You amaze me," Monica muttered. "Not a compliment. So we're agreed?"  
  
Elle nodded. "I suppose so."  
  
* * * 


End file.
